Consolidated reports of cooperatives submitted to the CDA-Cordillera Extension Office indicated a 27% increase in the number of large cooperatives in CAR. Based on records, CDA-CAR reported 37 large cooperatives last year (except 2 Cooperative Banks). This year, about 47 large cooperatives were monitored that includes 2 cooperative banks; 1 federation; 44 primary cooperatives including 1 electric cooperative.
Further, Baguio City registered the highest number of large cooperatives with 15 cooperatives (1 secondary and 14 primary large cooperative with one billionaire) as compared to 14 last year. It was noted that 1 medium cooperative graduated and reached more than P 100 million assets that qualified it to enter the large category.
This was followed by Benguet with 9 large cooperatives (composed of 8 primary and 1 secondary) as compared to 6 last year. Cooperative Bank of Benguet and two primary cooperatives previously classified as medium graduated to large and were included in the list of large cooperatives this year.
Moreover, Mountain Province has nine (9) large cooperatives as compared to 6 last year. Cooperative Bank of Mountain Province and two medium cooperatives that graduated to large were included in this year’s list. Ifugao has seven (7) primary large co-ops as compared to 6 last year. One medium cooperative graduated that was included in the recent list of large cooperatives.
In addition, Kalinga has five (5) primary large cooperatives with one billionaire. One medium cooperative reached more than P100 million assets that enabled it to join the large category. Abra has 2 primary large cooperatives with one billionaire. The Abra Electric Cooperative registered at the Central Office was included in the list. Except for Apayao, all the provinces have large cooperatives.
Meanwhile, it was observed that out of the forty-seven (47) large cooperatives in CAR, 26 cooperatives or about 55% are managed by women and 45% or 21 cooperatives by men. Baguio registered the highest number at 8 female out of 15 managers; followed by Mountain Province, 6 female out of 9; Benguet, 5 female out of 9; Ifugao, 4 female out 7; Kalinga, 2 female out of 5; and Abra 1 female out of 2 male managers.
As of this writing, large cooperatives comprise about 9 percent of the 545 reporting cooperatives in CAR this 2018. (To be continued)
